Hoping
by Lyny Angell
Summary: Lily and James take a walk through the park shortly after graduating Hogwarts. One-shot, but I may continue it. Rated for kissing


Hoping It was June. A clear day. The first one there seemed to have been in months. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and the birds were singing softly a gentle song of the recently blossomed summer. It was a perfect day for a stroll in the park and that's just what Lily Evans and James Potter decided to do. It was the first day James had seen his girlfriend since their graduation from Hogwarts School and Witchcraft and Wizardry. He noted how gorgeous her red hair was. The sunlight seemed to bounce off of it, giving it a shiny, glossy look about it. 

"Lily!" he called out to her, as she hadn't seen him yet. Lily looked up, hopefully and was not disappointed when she saw James grinning broadly at her. She jumped up from the bench she had been sitting on and ran over to him, smiling just as happily. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist kissing him softly on the lips.

"Hey," she said softly as their kiss ended.

"Hey, baby," James replied, kissing her forehead as he set her on the ground. He pulled her into another tight hug. It was so good to see her again after three long weeks of owl post.

"I missed you," Lily said, pouting slightly. It was amazing to her how sexy he looked with his hair rumpled up as it was right now. She loved how it stuck up in the back.

"I missed you, too," James replied pressing another light kiss upon her soft lips. "You ready to go, babe?" he asked, indicating the picnic basket sitting on a nearby bench. Lily nodded and took his hand, threading her fingers through his.

* * *

It would have been hard to believe, maybe even impossible, that this young couple was so deeply in love, if you knew the way they felt towards one another in their prior years at Hogwarts. To put it lightly, they had hated one another with every fiber of their bodies. It had all begun in their first year, when Lily had been the unfortunate recipient of one of James' famous practical jokes…

-Flashback-  
Lily Evans stepped tentatively into the Great Hall. She had felt so welcome the previous evening, but the two girls she had made friends with on the Hogwarts Express had been sorted into Ravenclaw and she into Gryfindor. Now, she had no one to sit with for breakfast.

"Would you like to come sit with me?" she heard a small voice ask behind her. Lily turned to see a boy, about her age, with messy black hair and friendly hazel eyes. She suddenly found herself quite speechless and merely nodded at him. The boy smiled back at her and started to walk towards the table. Lily followed.  
"I'm James Potter," he said politely. "What's your name?'

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lily replied, flustered. She held out her hand. "I'm Lily Evans." James took her hand and shook it firmly. Her hand was warm and soft, and he couldn't help but wonder what made it feel that way. James pulled his hand away and sat next to another boy with longer, straighter black hair and piercing gray eyes.

"Hey, Sirius," James said. "This is Lily Evans. Lily, this is my best mate, Sirius Black."

"It's nice to nice to meet you," Lily said, sitting neatly next to James. He smiled kindly at her. Lily returned his smile, hesitantly. They ate their breakfast and received their course schedules. Lily couldn't wait to get to her first class. She'd always known there was something different about her. Then, the owl with her Hogwarts letter had arrived, and, now, here she was sitting at a table with a ceiling that looked like the bright morning sky, looming overhead.

James and Sirius grinned at each other as Lily began examining her schedule. They couldn't wait to see their latest plan put into action.

* * *

When breakfast had ended, Lily stood and said a hurried goodbye to James and Sirius.

"Now!" Sirius hissed as she turned away. James ginned and took out his wand.

"Inkolius!" he said loudly, pointing it at Lily. A great burst of purple ink burst from the end of his wand and spilled over her. Her robes, skin, and even her vibrant red hair instantly began to change to a violent shade of purple. The entirety of the Great Hall erupted in laughter. Lily felt tears welling up in her eyes. Molly Prewett, a seventh year Gryfindor and this year's Head Girl rushed over and put her arm around Lily, leading her out of the Hall.

"I hate you James Potter!" Lily shouted over her shoulder at James as he and his friend stood laughing and receiving hi-fives from some of their other friends.

"Come along, dear," Molly said soothingly. "Don't Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, will put you right, and by tomorrow, no one will even remember this little incident, you mark my words."

Lily nodded and sniffled as she allowed herself to be led away by Molly, who was still rambling on about how immature boys could be at such a young age and wondering how on earth they had managed to work such a simply awful shade of violet.

-End Flashback-

That incident set off a six-year-long rivalry between Lily and James. Lily, knowing how simply dreadful it was to be embarrassed by James Potter and his friends, tried as hard as she could to keep them from humiliating others, and when they did, she was furious and got herself into many rows with James and his friend Sirius.

Over time, James had matured into a very caring individual. Lily still wasn't sure just why she was so in love with him. It may have had something to do with his good looks. Or his funny, outgoing personality, or his other side, the tender, loving James who cared very deeply about his friends and family and had a very good, strong heart. Or perhaps, Lily mused as they lay, curled in each other's arms on a blanket in the warm sunshine, it was the way he kissed. James shifted his head to capture Lily's lips with his own. Oh, yes that was definitely it.

James deepened their already passionate kiss by gently prying her lips apart with his tongue. Lily accepted him eagerly and shuddered slightly as his tongue brushed against hers.

"I love you," James murmured against her mouth as they broke their kiss to retrieve some fresh air.

"I love you, too, baby," Lily rolled over in his arms so her back was pressed against his chest. James leaned his head on her shoulder.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"A little. Are you?"

"Yeah. Let's eat."

Lily moved away from his embrace and brought their hamper over to the blanket where James still lay.

* * *

"Do you remember, in fifth year, when you hung Snape up in the air and his robes slipped down-"

"And everyone got to see his horrible, ugly, gray briefs!" James finished, tears of mirth rolling down his cheeks from their trip to memory lane and back.

"We had so much fun at Hogwarts,' Lily said, wistfully.

"You hated me when we were at Hogwarts!"

"Not in sixth year. And I certainly didn't hate you last year, did I ?"

"No, you certainly didn't, did you?" James said, rolling on top of her and kissing her deeply once more. Lily sighed again as James rolled over and pulled her into another warm embrace.

"What is it?" James asked, tracing circles on her bare shoulder. He really like the new tank-top she was wearing. It was quite low-cut and very revealing.

"It won't always be this way, will it?" James could tell that her voice was choked with sudden tears.

"What do you mean, baby?" James asked, turning her to face him. Her eyes were shining brightly with unshed tears.

"I'm so scared, James." Lily sobbed, burying her face in his chest. "With Voldemort on the rise, and-and you and me and Sirius and Alice all becoming aurors, we could all be killed. It took me so long to realize that we were meant to be together. I can't bear to lose you now." Lily's sobs grew louder with every word. James held her tightly and rocked her gently back and forth, trying to comfort her sudden fit of hysterics. In truth, he was scared, too. He had waited so long and so patiently for Lily to be his and now that she finally was, he couldn't stand the thought of losing her.

"Hey, stop it. It's gonna be ok, Lils. Everything is gonna be alright. None of us are going to die. We're all gonna be fine. It's ok." Lily looked up at him.

"I sure hope so."

* * *

Ok, I actually had a lot of fun writing this! It was a challenge, and it really helped me get over a lot of writer's block from my main story, Lilyflower. Special thanks to my friend from Neopets, tika5287. Please review!  
Love from Lyny Angell 


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